Sylhet city staffers clash with pullers of battery-run rickshaws

Workers of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) locked into a clash with drivers of battery-powered rickshaws in front of the Nagar Bhaban at Bandarbazar area in the city yesterday.

The clash started following rickshaw pullers' demonstration demanding release of seized battery-driven rickshaws -- which SCC ordered to prohibit on city roads -- and a demand of legalising the vehicles.

BM Ashraf Ullah Taher, additional deputy commissioner (media) of Sylhet Metropolitan Police, said, "During the demonstration, a group of city corporation workers became agitated and gathered with bamboo sticks which provoked the demonstrators and lead to the clash."

"Three vehicles of the corporation were vandalised. Police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. No one was detained from the spot and no one filed any complaint with police," he said.

Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury said, "We've prohibited these years ago; six months ago, we ordered all such rickshaws to be removed from city roads. Following the order, we started the drive and seized a few."

"While we asked the pullers to show us legal documents about ownership and permission to ply as regular rickshaws, no one was able to show any papers and started demonstrating."

"Leftist Democratic Alliance leader Pronob Paul led the mob in attacking us while we were trying to settle the issue," he alleged, adding that the drive will continue.

Pronob Paul said, "We were in a peaceful demonstration. The city corporation workers attacked us on purpose which agitated the rickshaw pullers."

"Different cities now have permitted battery-driven rickshaws, and the government also formed a high level committee to decide in this regard."

"We urged the mayor to consider the humanitarian issue, but he did not. He threatened to destroy all seized rickshaws," he said.

 "There are many stores in the city that are selling these vehicles, and the city corporation give them trade licence. If selling is legal, why pulling them on road cannot be legalised properly?" Pronob said.